Bag-turning machine



F. J. WAGNER.

v BAG TURNING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED Aue.1s. 1919.

Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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"S \WAIQSNS INVENTO ATTORNEY F. J. WAGNER.

BAG TURNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.15. I919.

1,33 1,546. Patented Feb. 24, 1920.

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m INVENTOR ATTORNEY F. J. WAGNER.

BAG TURNING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.I5. 1919.

Patented Feb. 24,1920.

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BAG-TURNING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb..24, 1920.

Application filed August 15, 1919. Serial No. 317,725.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. WAGNER, residing in the city of Yonkers, State of New York, and a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag-Turning Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Therobject of my invention is the construction of a machine whereby bags and similar articles may be efliciently and rapidly turned or reversed.

It is to be understood that the construction shown and described is an illustrative embodiment merely, and that variations and modifications may be made that will, nevertheless, be within the scope of my invention as defined by the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my machine showing the parts in position preparatory to turning a bag; Fig. 2 is a side elevatlon, broken, of my machine showing the parts in position at the completion of the turnmg operation; Fig. 3 is a top view, broken; Fig. 4 is a view partly in cross sectionon th e line 4 of Fig. 3, showing a bag inverted in position preparatory to eing turned; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of one of the bag retaining frames with the plunger therein at a stage in the process of turning a bag.

Support for the operative parts is supplied by a main frame comprising the side members 1 and 1", which in turn are supported by suitable standards such as the legs 2, 3 and 4 on one side, and 5 on the other. Power may be imparted to the machine through the medium of any suitable means such as the pulley 6 and the belt 7, the pulley 6 rotating the shaft 8. Suitable mechanism for feeding the bags to position for the turning operation is provided, consisting preferably of a horizontal endless conveyer which may comprise endless sprocket chains 9 passing about sprocket gears 10 at one end of the machine and idler sprocket gears 11 at the other end ofthe' machine. The sprocket gears 10 are fixedly mounted to rotate in unison and with the shaft 12, on which is also mounted against rotation relative thereto, the ratchet wheel 13. so that when the ratchet wheel 13 is rotated by power applied thereto. the sprocket chains are caused to move a distance corresponding to the angular distance through which the ratchet wheel moves.

As the upper section of sprocket chain, which may lie between sprocket gears, has a tendency, if unsupported, to sag, I find it advisable to provide preventive means, which may consist of a chute or track 13 provided with flanges 13 whereby the chute or track may be supported by the side members. The channelof the chute should be of appropriate width to restrain lateral -movement of the conveyor and yet allow it for turning, which I show as funnels 14:. In

order to permit the funnels to pass. about the sprocket gears which carry the sprocket,

chains without distorting the chains or creating undue stress on any of the connections, I find it advisable that they should be connected by means of base plates 15 to inwardly extending brackets 16, formed if desired, integral with links of the sprocket chains. The funnels may be of any shape adaptable for retaining the particular form of bag which it is desired to turn, but I have shown them oblong in horizontal section, being of a shape adapted to retain an inverted bag having a single straight seam at the bottom. The apertures in the funnels extend downwardly through the base plates 15, so that when the plunger descends, as hereinafter further described,

. the bag may be carried down through the funnel, thence through the base plate and thence through the aperture 13 in the track into a chute 17 down which it may ,slide to the floor or into any receptacle properly placed to receive it.

For imparting intermittent motion to the conveyer, I provide the shaft 8 with a crank 18 which operates the pawl 19; and as the pawl 19 is in connection with the ratchet wheel 13, the ratchet wheel 13 is caused to rotate at each revolution of the crank 18 an angular distance corresponding to the movement of the pawl and each bag retaining frame is caused to move a corresponding distance.

Mounted on the side member 1 is a suitable slideframe for the plunger, hereinafter further described, consisting of the slide rods 20 on which the cross head 21 is slidably mounted so that it may be given vertical reciprocatory motion. The cross head 21 is provided with projecting arms 22 from which the plunger 23 depends, the plunger 23 being adjusted to such a position on said arms that it may reciprocate vertically when prop erly actuated, substantially in the plane of movement of the funnels. I have shown the plunger U-shaped with the bow of the U downward, as I believe such a shape best adapted to cooperate with the particular form of bag retaining means shown.

It may be desired frequently to adjust the position of the plunger in a horizontal direction, and to render such adjustment possible. I connect the plunger to the arms 22 through the medium of a cross-bar 22 which may be retained to the arms by means of bolts 22-22 passing through the cross-bar and through longitudinal slots 2222 in the arms 22. This arrangement permits of adjustment of the plunger in a horizontal direction laterally of the conveyer. 'Horizontal adjustment longitudinally of the conveyer may be effected by passing the arms of the plunger through slots 23 in the crossbar and retaining them firmly in connection therewith by nuts 23, against which are opposed nuts 23. Vertical adjustment of the plunger is made possible by screwing the nuts 23" and 23 up or down as may be required.

The means for operating the cross head 21 and thereby the plunger 23, comprise the link 2+ pivotally connected to the cross head at 25 and also pivotally connected to the bell crank lever 26 at 27. The bell crank lever 26 may be pivoted to some part of the frame, for example to the support 3 at 28 at which point it rocks, and it is also pivotally connected at 29 to the push rod 30. The push rod 30 is further supported by the link 31, which is pivotally connected to the main frame at 32 and t0 the push rod itself at 33. The push rod may be actuated by any suitable means, such as the cam 34, which is fixedly mounted on the shaft 8 to rotate therewith, and which is cut to proper shape as shown to cause the push rod 30 and hence the train of mechanism thereby operated to be actuated during the period of retraction of the pawl or, in other words,

during the period of restof the conveyer. A roller 33 is-provided to lessen friction between the face of the .cam and the push,- rod. For the purpose of securing a quick return of the plunger from its extreme downward position, the cam 34 is cut deeply at 35 and also I provide the bell crank lever 26 with a projecting arm 36 to which is attached an adjustable weight 37. The return movement may be further quickened if expansion spring 38 be interposed between the cross head and thebases of the slide rods. The springs 40 and 4:1 operating between the cross head and the stop collars 42 and 43 tend to relieve the shock which the'return of the plunger tends to create.

The operation of my device is as follows: Assume that the parts are in the positions as shown in Fig. 1. Since the shaft 8 is continuously rotating, the movement that will next take place is a retraction of the pawl, while the conveyer, and consequently the funnel shown directly beneath the plun ger, remain stationary. During theperiod of retraction of tliepawi the cam 3% is operating to push forward the push rod 30 and hence, through the bell crank lever 26 and the linl' 2+, to drive the plunger downwardly into the funnel referred to, to the position shown in Fig. 2, and consequently, if a bag has :been inverted over the funnel it will be reversed or turned. Upon reaching its extreme downward position the push rod 30 is released by reason of the shape of the cam 34, and is caused to return quickly to its uppermost or retracted position by the. action of the weight 37 and of the spring 38, the reversed bag having meanwhile dropped on the chute 17. By this time the pawl has been fully retracted and, through continued rotation of the shaft 8, moves the conveyer to its next succeeding position of rest. The plunger then operates as before. The bag turning funnels or frames are 10- eated at such distances from each other that when the pawl has reached its farthest limit of movement, each succeeding funnel will assume a position directly beneath the plumger. In the normal operation of the ma chine, I contemplate that the bags shall be placed on the funnels or bag retaining frames as far from the plunger as possible, for example on a funnel approximately in the position shown in Fi 1 over which a bag 39 has been inverted, and partially drawn to position. It is sufiicient, however, that the bag be drawn over the funnel at any time before the plunger descends;

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A liag turning machine comprising a conveyer, means for causing intermittent motion of said conveyer, a series of bag retaining frames mounted thereon, a plunger, means for causing said plunger to reciprocate in and out of one of said frames during each interval of rest of said conveyer.

2. A bag turning machine comprising a conveyer, means for causing intermittent motion of said conveyer, a series of bag retaining frames mounted on said conveyer, a

plunger frame, a plunge 1' slidalely mounted on said frame and adaptedfor reciprocatory -motion, the path of motion of said plunger being such that it passesinto and is withdrawn from one of said bag retaining frames during an interval of rest of said conveyer, and means for imparting ,re-

' ciprocatory motion to said plunger in said path.

3. A bag turning machine comprising a horizontal conveyer, means for causing in-- termittent motion of said'conveyer, aseries of bag retaining frames mounted on said conveyer, a plunger frame, a plunger slidably mounted on said frame whereby it is adapted for vertical reciprocatory motion,

the vertical path of motion-of said plunger being such that it descends into and is withdrawn. from one of said bag retainin frames during an interval of rest of sai conveyer, and means for imparting said reciprocatory motion.

45A bag turning machine comprising a horizontal endless conveyer, means for 1m parting intermittent motion to said conveyer, a series of bag retaining frames mounted on said conveyer in' a plane of movement thereof and at intervals equaling the distance traveled by the conveyer at each movement thereof, a plunger frame mounted on said machine, a plunger slidably mounted on said plunger frame, and

means for causin said plungerto reciprocate in and out 0 one of said bag retaining frames during each period of rest of said conveyer.

5. A bag turning machine comprising an endless conveyer, a pawl and ratchet for imparting intermittent motion to said conveyer, means for actuating. said pawl, a

series of bag retaining frames mounted on said conveyer in a plane of movement thereof and at equal intervals thereon, a plunger frame mounted on said machine, a plunger slidably mounted on said plunger frame and frame mounted on said machine, a plunger slidably. mounted on said plunger frame through the medium of a cross head, means for causing said plunger to pass into one of said bag. retaining frames andto be withdrawn therefrom during each interval of rest of said conveyer, said means consisting of a push rod actuated by a cam on the driving shaft, a bell crank lever actuated by said push rod, and a link connecting said bell cranklever and said cross head.

FRANK J. WAGNER. 

